An International non-governmental agency, West African Action Network on Small Arms and Light Weapons in Africa has visited Zamfara State on a fact-finding tour of border states to assess security, peace and economic development of the areas.

The organisation is a coalition of civil society organisations working in the field of small arms, light weapons and striving for human security.

The delegation, led by its regional Vice President in charge of West Africa, Igwe Martin, met with the management of Federal University Gusau, Federal College of Education Technical, Gusau, and state leadership of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria.

Addressing journalists in Gusau on Thursday, Mr Martin said the visit was part of the tour to various states affected by insecurity, especially those sharing borders with other countries.

“We are here to interact with relevant stakeholders and discuss extensively on how to work together in reviving the good image of Zamfara in the areas of peace and economic development. We are here on a fact-finding visit to gather the real information about security situation in Zamfara.

“All the information to be gathered from this visit will be tabled at the border security conference scheduled to hold in April at Istanbul,” he said.

“We are really concerned about what has been happening in Zamfara and other parts of the country regarding security challenges. We are here to know the fact, we cannot not sit down and continue shouting on issues that we have little knowledge about,” Mr Martin explained.

He added that the tour would continue with the visit to government officials of state and federal governments as well as other authorities’ concerned and relevant stakeholders to know the real situation of security challenges in the state.

“We are going to meet with the officials of both state and Federal Government as well as other authorities concerned and relevant stakeholders to extensively deliberate on how to work together in reviving peace and economic development in the state,” he added.

In their separate speeches during the visit, the Vice-chancellor of the FUG, Prof. Mu’azu Abubakar; Provost of FCET, Gusau, Dr Hauwa’u Muktar and Commander, state Vigilance Group, Bashir Nafi’u, assured of working together in finding lasting solutions to security problems in the state.

(NAN)